His redemption might be her downfall…
Tristan has nothing left to lose. His best friend’s betrayal cost him everything. Now, he’s going to take it back. All he has to do to get the Hawks reinstated to their rightful position at the palace is track down the traitor’s younger sister and turn her over for execution. But Nim’s not the girl Tristan left behind years ago; she’s a stubborn, loyal, beautiful woman, and he can’t stop himself from wanting her.
Nim fled with nothing when the king’s favorite came for her. All she has left is the conviction that her brother is innocent—and her determination to free him. She’ll do anything…even if it means convincing Tristan to help her. But the man he’s become is a far cry from the boy she fell in love with so long ago. He’s formidably stern and deeply untrusting. She’ll just have to hope he still has a heart under that battle-scarred exterior.
When love and duty collide, will Tristan follow his orders or follow his heart?
Tristan, book 1 in The Hawks series, is a sexy, steamy, adult fantasy romance full of swords, shifters (kind of), and tons of action. But fair warning: This book is intended only for readers who love slow burn romance, fast-paced adventure, soul mates and found family—and characters who curse when they fight for survival. If that’s you, happy reading.
What/Who inspired the main characters in your book?
Tristan is a fantasy romance with two main characters – Tristan and Nim.
Tristan was the captain of the palace guard until the old king died in a terrible massacre—a betrayal that Tristan’s best friend, Val, has been accused of masterminding.
Tristan is a strong commander, deeply honorable and loyal to his squad and his friends, but he has grown jaded by war and is bitter about Val’s treachery and the loss of his position in the palace. Tristan does make mistakes, but he works hard to fix them.
He wasn’t inspired by any particular person although he has some elements of characters that I have loved over the years. There is something of Strider/Aragorn in him, as well as the Witcher and even Jon Snow—strong, honorable men prepared to fight for what they believe in.
Nim, the heroine, is an apothecary who had a stable life caring for her father but is thrown into danger when her brother is accused of betraying the king. She’s kind and empathetic, but she also has a core of remarkable inner strength. She never falters in her loyalty to the people she loves and will fight for them to the bitter end, whatever it takes.
Thinking about it now, I would say that she has some of Eowyn in her (from the Lord of the Rings), maybe some of Belle too (from Beauty and the Beast), but mostly she’s inspired by all the amazing real women in the world who are out there, every day, fighting for safety for themselves and their families.
When I started writing this story, there was a lot in the news about people in power that were getting away with astonishingly bad behaviour simply because of their status. I felt, and still feel, that the result of those kinds of allowances will be normalising bullying (and worse). In Tristan, the villain (King Ballanor) is dreadful, and his evilness spreads through the palace and down through the military ranks, becoming a poison in the kingdom.
I wanted to create characters that fought back against that decay. Characters who had the courage and the strength to stand up for what was right, however difficult that might be. Ultimately, my inspiration for all of these characters, came from real world people fighting back against injustice.
And the best thing about romance is the reassurance that, however hard the struggle, in the end Tristan and Nim will find love, and be rewarded for their courage.
Author Bio:
Jennie Lynn Roberts believes that every strong, kickass heroine should have control of her own story, a swoony hero to support her at every turn, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Because that doesn’t always happen in real life, she began creating her own worlds that work just the way they should. And she hasn’t looked back since.
Jennie would rather be writing than doing anything else—except for spending time with her gorgeous family, of course. But when she isn’t building vibrant new worlds, she can be found nattering with friends, baking up a storm, or strolling in the woods around her home in England.
If you want to talk books, romance, movies, reluctant heroes, or just about anything else with Jennie, feel free to contact her atwww.jennielynnroberts.com. But be prepared to settle in for a long chat if you bring up shifters, vampires, Star Wars, or The Princess Bride….
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ReplyDeleteAn adult fantasy tale that I cant wait to start!
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